A BRIDGE OVER THE WAIKOUAITI RIVER. THE BARRIER ISLAND TRAGEDY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1819, 1 October 1886, Page 22

A BRIDGE OVER THE WAIKOUAITI RIVER.

THE BARRIER ISLAND TRAGEDY.

A deputation, consisting of Messrs Buckl»nd, M.H.R., J. Green, J. Duncan, and Ritchie (members of the Waikouaiti County Council), waited on tho Hon. Sir Robert Stout on Wednesday morning. Mr Green explained that the object of the deputation was to bring under tho notico of the Premier the absolute necessity for the construction of a bridge over the Waikouaiti river about eight or nine miles from the town of Waikouaiti. At times the only available ford was exceedingly dangerous, and an accident had happened there quite recently. The whole of the land in the locality had been taken up, and to enable settlers to get to and from their holdings a bridge was indispensable. It would cost £700, and an excellent site had been selected. Sir Robert Stout said that under the present system in which money was voted he was afraid the Government could do nothing in the matter. They had done what no previous Cabinet had, viz., set down in the estimates in detail exactly how the money was to be spent. Each vote had, in fact, been ear-marked, so that every sum of money had been devoted to a special purpose. The only thing he could suggest would be to raise money on loan under the newly-inaugurated system. The interest would only amount to £35, and the settlers ought to be glad to pay the extra rate for the bridge. Mr Duncan pointed out that the settlers for the most part were just making a start, and the council had received no rates from them as yet. Sir Robert Stout promised to see what he could do in the matter.

Auckland, September 29. Superintendent Thomson has received a cablegram stating that the Sovereign of the Seas has been wrecked near Point Macquarie. The wreckage found there on the 25th includes a board with the name of the cutter painted on it. Over a month ago a strange vessel was sighted near Port Macquarie, and it was subsequently reported that Caffrey had been seen in Victoria. A constable has been despatched to the Great Barrier to arrest a bushman who threatened to shoot another. He is alleged to have said it was a great pity Caffrey had gone away so quickly, as he should have had a mate. The New Zealand Herald states that the barque Celestia^rrived at Sydney on September 10 from Mercury Bay, after a long passage of 39 days. Those on board report having seen a cutter, supposed to be the Sovereign of the Seas, making her escape to the islands with the alleged murderers Perm and Caffrey on board. From the description given of the cutter the officers of the barque are fully convinced that the vessel they sighted was the Sovereign of the Seas When seen, the. cutter was running before a S.E. gale with the whole of the mainsail set, a most unusual thing in heavy weather.